Comfort
by The Dark Enchantress Ruhi
Summary: Three Christmases Hermione spends with Harry. Part 5 of the Harry Potter One Shots Series.


**A/N:- Hello everyone, I'm not J.K. Rowling so I obviously do not own the Harry Potter Series.**

 **Written for the International Wizarding Schools Championship.**

 **Theme : Christmas**

 **Round : Practice Round**

 **School : Hogwarts**

 **Year : Year Three**

 **Prompt : 4) Champagne (Drink)**

 **8) Lighting a Candle (Action)**

 **5) Fireworks (Object/Action)**

 **Word Count : 1304**

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 **Three Christmases Hermione spends with Harry.**

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 **I.**

The first Christmas Hermione spends alone with Harry is quiet. At least, it's quieter than the Christmases she's used to–the Burrow never was known for being peaceful–but here in Australia, it's just the two of them and their thoughts.

She's all up for a quiet evening like no other, but Harry's having none of it, just as he had had every other time. She thinks of all the previous Christmases she'd spent with him and the Weasleys', and how he had refused to let her sit down with a book on the week before Christmas and cannot help but smile as he drags her out of the cottage they had rented in the search for her parents. They're going to shop for things they'd need to make a Christmas dinner, which he tells her she'd be helping him with. He hold his hand out with a grin, and Hermione matches his grin with her own when she links her arm into his.

It takes them a little over an hour to gather what they need, and Hermione has to say that for someone who knows how to cook so well, Harry really is hopeless when it comes to groceries. She tells him as much, to which he pouts at her jokingly. They banter the entire way home, and she's grateful for it, grateful for his company, because at least on Christmas, she doesn't want to be alone with her thoughts and she knows he feels the same.

Harry does make her help him with the dinner, as promised, and under his tutelage, Hermione learns how to stuff a Turkey and how to make a perfect casserole. It's a jolly affair, altogether, and for the first time in her life, Hermione manages to make her mother's Chocolate Champagne truffles just right. She thinks of what her mother would say if she sees her in this moment, and smiles slightly.

They sit in front of the fireplace together after dinner with flutes of champagne that they sip while they talk and talk, under the influence of the champagne for the later part, but still. Hermione feels lighter than she has in a long time. This isn't Christmas with the Weasleys' with the constant ruckus and coziness that Hermione has come to associate with the Burrow, but this is Christmas with Harry, quiet and cozy and loving and therapeutic and just so Harry, that as far as celebration and merriness was concerned, this sure took the cake.

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 **II.**

They've come to an unspoken agreement now about having a pre-Christmas Christmas with just the two of them after three years of unwittingly following the said tradition. Hermione would always spend December the Twenty-third at Number 12, Grimmauld Place with Harry, making dinner, having fun, catching up. Now that they are caught up with their jobs and/or higher studies, it isn't often that the three of them–Harry, Ron and Hermione–see each other. At least they spend the actual Christmas at the Burrow together(Molly wished all her children at the Burrow during Christmas week after the war, and Neither Harry nor Hermione want to know what would happen if either of them break the tradition of spending their Christmases at the Burrow).

Hermione simply apparates to Grimmauld place on the morning of the twenty third and throws her arms around Harry, who has apparently just woken up. He grins at her, however, and wishes her a merry Christmas. It's early, of course, but their get togethers are in the honour of Christmas, after all. He takes her by hand to the now renovated den where the fire is cackling merrily. There is no Christmas tree, just like there wasn't one then–just a small pile of presents beside the fireplace and hot chocolate and pastries set out by Kreacher.

They settle onto the rug together and Hermione passes Harry her present while she rummages for her own. They open their presents together now, except Harry always manages to somehow get something for her for the actual Christmas also. Hermione would like to, of course, except Harry really isn't an easy person to shop for. She pays him back by making time to meet him for brunch every Saturday the next month which, mind you, is not easy to do. Harry breaks the easy silence by beginning to tell her just how much he has to study to get a job at Hogwarts as a DADA Professor, and how it still wasn't guaranteed that he'd get the job. All through it, Hermione cannot help but grin, especially when he accuses her of not really telling him how much the workload is.

It's about afternoon when Hermione suggests they go get the supplies from London. They're lazing in the den still, talking while Hermione pretends to read and Harry takes pictures on his new muggle camera. They spend the rest of the day as they always do, talking and laughing their way through the hours. It's about midnight by the time they find themselves back into the den. The fire has burned out, but it's still warm enough for them both to be comfortable. They light candles to help with the light and Hermione charms them to float the way the candles used to at Hogwarts.

They fall back into the couch together, happy but tired and basking in the soft glow of the candles. Hermione sure doesn't complain when Harry pulls her against him so that she's leaning into him, her head on his shoulder. It's quite comfortable, really. She doesn't know how long they stay that way, but she does know that she likes this very much and doesn't want to get up anytime soon.

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 **III.**

Hermione loves spending Christmas at the burrow as much as she does spending it with Harry. It is always bustling and there are so many people she is seeing after so long, it makes her heart swell with love. 'This', she muses, 'is probably what Christmas spirit is' as she greets Ron enthusiastically with a hug and then they envelope Harry also and they're in a three way hug. She grins to both of them and they grin right back. It's great to be back together with family.

She spends the rest of the day meeting the others as they arrive and pottering around trying to help(she never was the one to simply sit down) but Molly would not have any of it, of course. She gives up in the end and goes to join the others in the backyard. The twins, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Charlie have begun a game for old times sake and for a moment, she feels she back in that moment before everything. She keeps score this time(Harry and the twins win by a landslide).

The dinner is a loud affair, and everyone wants to talk to everyone about how they've been doing, and everything is so familiar, Hermione can't help but feel a little Deja-vu. She smiles a small smile into her dinner plate, and maybe her eyes sting a little. She feels an arm snake Around her shoulders. She turns and looks into green eyes that are smiling but still a little worried.

"You alright?" He asks, and she only nods, still smiling her watery smile.

They stay out in the yard even after the dinner is over, although it's getting cold. Hermione's sleeves are pulled over her palms as she watches the twins work on setting up their newest fireworks and everyone backs up several places when they announce that they're ready to be launched. All she's thinking as she stands between Harry and Ron, Harry's arm pulling her close as they look unto the magnificent display in the sky is just how lucky she is to have such a wonderful family.

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 **A/N:** I hope everyone likes this. Please review and let me know :)


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